Important info. The mammogram (mg) and ultrasound(us) show breast tissue in different ways. The mg is better for women with fatty breasts. The us can help tell if a mass is solid or cystic (fluid filled). It can also give a better picture for women who have dense breasts. The tests are often used together to help determine what is going on.

US and mammo. US generally used to further evaluate mammographic or palpable abnormalities. One of the main strengths is the ability to differentiate solid masses from cysts, which mammo can't do. US may perform better than mammo in dense breasts, and is the first imaging study of choice, rather than mammo, in younger women.